


Don't Make Life-Changing Decisions on an Empty Stomach

by raisedbymoogles



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Everyone's Doing Their Best, F/M, Gen, M/M, cloud is Not All Right, five things, fixit, implied Aeris/Cloud, the healing powers of sleep and food
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 08:49:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13678332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raisedbymoogles/pseuds/raisedbymoogles
Summary: Five points in canon where stopping for a sandwich and a nap would have made things go so much better.





	Don't Make Life-Changing Decisions on an Empty Stomach

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gemma_Inkyboots](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemma_Inkyboots/gifts).



> Written as a Valentine's Day/belated birthday gift for my partner. <3

[1]

The wall of the Northern Crater loomed over the cabin, blocking out all but a sliver of the dark and starless sky. Cloud couldn’t take his eyes off that dividing line, stone and void, a borderline between himself and Sephiroth.

“Hey. Spike. Hungry?”

Cloud snapped back to himself with a jerk. “Huh? Uh, yeah, I guess we can grab some trail food for the road-“

Cid scowled. The outpost’s caretaker had made him stub out his cigarette before coming in, and he looked off-balance and cranky without it. “There’s soup. And sandwiches. I’m not going back out there ’til at least sunrise, numbskull.”

“We don’t have time for that!” The floorboards creaked as Cloud flew to his feet. “I know everyone’s tired, but every second we wait, Sephiroth could-”

_ hurry//bring/Black Materia/// _

“…could be coming closer,” Cloud finished, as if his voice had never broken. “We know he wants - _that.”_

“Well, he might not need to eat or sleep anymore, but I do,” Cid declared, “and so do you, you half-frozen dumbass. Won’t do the world any good if we all collapse in the snow again halfway down the Crater and Sephiroth just _takes_ the stupid thing off our frozen-stiff corpses.” Cloud glared, but even he could feel himself faltering at that mental image. “C’mon. I heard Tifa frying bacon…”

Cid lilted the last few words, teasing, and suddenly the smell of bacon and tomato wafting from downstairs kicked Cloud square in the hindbrain, stronger even than the call to _settle things with Sephiroth._ “Okay, okay, fine,” he grumbled. “But we’re setting out first thing in the morning!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Cid clapped a hand on Cloud’s shoulder, but as they turned for the stairs he shot a meaningful look at Vincent, who’d been silently occupying the loft since they’d all been brought here after losing their way and collapsing on the Great Glacier. Vincent’s only response was a brief nod.

 

[2]

The door had barely opened an inch when it met resistance. Aeris peeked through and stifled a squeak when in the pre-dawn shadows she beheld Barret’s broad back.

“…um. ….can I get by?”

Barret hummed, a low and thoughtful sound, though given where he was standing it was pretty clear he’d already made up his mind. “…c’mon, let’s go sit down,” he said, and Aeris accepted her fate.

At least the food was good - just a breakfast sandwich from a roadside stall, but the greasy mix of eggs and sausage was somehow comforting. “It’s not that Cloud- …did what he did,” Aeris said, huddled around her food while Barret sprawled on the bench next to her. “Honest. One Cure and it healed right up, see?” She smiled brightly.

Barret didn’t look convinced. Small wonder - he’d been the one to drag Cloud off of her. “Wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to bail anyway,” he said. “Getting hit by a monster’s one thing, and you’ve always been a trooper about that, but Cloud…”

Aeris’s gaze drifted down. “It’s not his fault.” Barret growled, the sound issuing from low in his chest. “No, I know a lot of girls say that when the - the guy they like hurts them, but it really isn’t in Cloud’s case. There’s something - not him. Inside him. I suspected it before, but, in the Temple…”

_The poison corrupting everything, pouring off of Sephiroth… and Cloud._

“But don’t you see, that’s why I have to go,” Aeris burst out. “As long as Cloud’s compromised, we can’t let him get anywhere near Sephiroth!”

“What do you want me to do, sit on his spiky ass and let you go off and face Sephiroth alone?” Barret protested. He’d finished his sandwich, and had nothing to guesture with but the leftover crumple of foil. He made it work. “You’re our only Ancient - I mean Cetra. Somethin’ happens to you, the Planet’s good and fucked.”

“I don’t know.”

Barret sighed. As gently as he would have with an upset Marlene, he tucked an arm over Aeris’s slim shoulders, and Aeris blinked as she found herself leaning into the embrace.

“Look, I get it,” Barret assured her quietly. “I’m worried ‘bout him too. But he’s gonna go after Sephiroth with us or without us, and without us…” He trailed off; Aeris’s imagination could well fill in the rest. “Best way we can protect him is to stay with him. That goes for you too.” he added with a gentle squidge around her shoulders. “Just - think about it, all right? I won’t stop you if you’re really set on it, but none of this sneakin’ off in the middle of the night. …not-quite-morning. Whatever.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Aeris sighed, relaxing against Barret’s shoulder. “You know… you’re a really good hugger.”

“That’s between you, me and Marlene.” Aeris made a zip-lips motion and Barret chuckled. “C’mon. Finish your breakfast, then back to bed for you.”

 

[3]

“How long has it been?”

“...Five years.”

Tifa counted backwards in her head, and - no, that couldn’t be right. Cloud had left for Midgar seven years ago... “Cloud, are you okay?”

“Huh?”

The lamppost’s lightbulb, having been flickering ominously for the past hour, finally gave up and shorted out with a _pop_ and a shower of sparks. Cloud, standing directly underneath it, flinched and grabbed at his head with a stifled whimper, his eyes wide and sightless and so very, very bright in the sudden darkness of the train platform. _Mako eyes. But then - for him to be in this state…_

Just what had Shinra done to him?

For a moment she wants to pull the massive sword off Cloud’s back and charge Shinra Tower herself, but she’s got a scar to remind her what a bad idea that is. Her next thought is for AVALANCHE - for all her own doubts about the group, they’ll at least provide an excuse for her to stay close to him.

Unbidden, a flash of a new friend’s smile comes to her, the memory of a flower’s scent and a cheerful voice. _Do I need an excuse to care for my friend?_

Cloud is visibly pulling himself together, slapping together a mask of cool disinterest, but it’s too late, she’s already seen right through him. “Come with me,” she says, tucking her arm through the crook of Cloud’s elbow.

“Huh?” Cloud blinks at her. “Where are we going?”

“Well, I’ve become a pretty good cook since we last met.” _Whenever that was._ “And I’ve got a lot to tell you. What do you say to lunch?”

“I’m f-” ….nope, that was Cloud’s stomach rumbling, and Tifa tries not to laugh at his embarrassed flush. “…just don’t put yourself out, okay? Just a sandwich is fine.”

“Sandwiches it is.” _And then a nap,_ Tifa thought, not missing the shadows under Cloud’s eyes. _And then - then maybe we can work out the rest._

 

[4]

“What do you think, old man? A couple of strong guys like me and Cloud, making a living as mercenaries in Midgar?”

“Are you kidding?” The voice that floated back to them was rough with years of hard work and sacrifice, a match to the driver’s weather-beaten face. “Midgar? The only place you’re going right now is home with me, young man.”

For the first time, through the green haze, Cloud saw Zack falter. “Say what?”

“You look like you haven’t slept in a week, and that friend of yours looks even worse! Nope, there’s a pile of sandwiches and a nap in your future, and then you can go haring off wherever you want.”

“Uh.” Zack shifted to the head of the truck bed, speaking directly through the opened back window. “Listen, old man, like I told you, there’s some people after us…”

“All the more reason you should get off the road, wouldn’t you say?” came the unperturbed reply. “Don’t worry so much. You’re young. There’s all the time in the world for you to get to where you’re goin’.”

Zack cast a glance back at Cloud. Cloud gathered all the strength he could muster, willing for his feelings to reach his friend. _Don’t be a dumbass, you dumbass! I’ll be fine while you rest and get your strength back. Just go eat the damn sandwiches already!_

He couldn’t feel himself - he had no idea if he was speaking, moving, or even scowling like he wanted to. But the clouds over Zack’s expression cleared, and he gave Cloud a nod.

“Yeah, okay. Sounds good, old man.”

 

[5]

_JENOVA…_

_The specimen…_

_...monster. No - ANCIENT._

_Mother…_

Footsteps storm into his awareness and he jolts, a curl of irritation passing through him so fiercely that the journal in his hand crumples. Are they back again? _Those traitors-_

Zack’s still got the same stupid smile on that he always does, though it’s worn around the edges lately. _Lately._ But Cloud -

Sephiroth blinks. He hasn’t seen Cloud’s face clearly since they arrived in Nibelheim. He’s been hiding from everyone. Even Zack - even him. But he’s not hiding now. He’s not smiling, he’s not pretending _(lying)_ , but his face is uncovered and clear and he is holding something.

“This is the only thing I know how to make, sir,” he says, and Sephiroth’s fevered brain scrambles to keep up as the smell of _food_ hits him. “It’s a grilled cheese sandwich with greens and ham. And I don’t know what condiments you like, so I got some of everything I could find.”

On the plate, surrounding the hot sandwich like a rear guard, are six ramekins full of various tangy-smelling sauces. Cloud moves forward and holds the tray out, but hesitates before setting it down.

“C’mon, boss,” Zack urges to Sephiroth’s uncomprehending stare. “Help the kid out, will you? Clear the table.”

“Hmph. If you’re the subordinate, you should do that.”

“I would, but I want to keep my hands.”

...right. What happened last time Zack tried to separate him from the journals.

Sephiroth gathers up the journals on the table, marks his place, and stacks them neatly, leaving an empty space. Cloud sets the tray down with a sigh of relief. “All yours, sir,” he says, and a little bit of life returns to his face. “We’ll be just outside. Zack promised to teach me how to cheat at cards.”

Zack startles. “Wait, why are we leaving?” Cloud glares, grabs a fistful of the First Class’s shirt and hauls him out, leaving Sephiroth alone with the - offering. Of food.

_Don’t eat it. It’s probably poisoned or drugged. These worthless creatures can’t be trusted-_

But it doesn’t smell like drugs, and Sephiroth knows how to detect them. He picks up the sandwich - still warm, slightly greasy from the butter, and smelling like nothing but protein and carbohydrates and fresh produce.

_Don’t eat it don’t eat it DON’T EAT-_

Maybe it will help with his headache.

***

Zack had just about resigned himself to the fact that _he would never, ever win a hand of poker against Cloud again_ \- seriously, though, he was so proud! - when there was a noise from the library. A soft thud.

“Stay here,” he ordered, leaping to his feet - all First Class commanding officer, and Cloud yelped and tried to catch the cards he dropped as Zack raced down the rickety old basement stairs three at a time, feeling them snap and creak warningly in his wake. Still, he didn’t slow, charging at full steam until he hit the wall at the back end of the library and rebounded off, sliding to his knees right in front of where Sephiroth lay curled, one hand clutching his head, the other squeezing the last bit of Cloud’s grilled cheese sandwich to inedible mush.

“Boss,” he hissed, and no, that was wrong already. “Seph?”

“Z- ...Zack,” came the soft, strained reply. “Help… it’s - it’s in my head…”

_No kidding._

Zack gathered Sephiroth into his lap, mind already racing. He’d never seen Sephiroth so helpless, never heard him ask for help - _something_ had clearly infected his commander, but Sephiroth was supposed to be immune to such things. He’d been designed that way.

_Wait - designed… that’s it. That has to be it._

“Hey,” he murmured, as gently as he would to a crying Cloud. “I need you to fight your hardest right now. Use that energy from the sandwich Cloud made for you.”

He lifted his hand over Sephiroth’s face. Sephiroth didn’t even track it, his eyes shut tight with pain, but a breathless laugh escaped him. “Was - was that your idea? To - feed your troublesome commander?”

_Troublesome isn’t the half of it, boss._

“Nope,” Zack told him as the Planet’s fire rose up around them. “That was all him. I told you, right? You don’t order someone like Cloud, you just show him someone he loves and then try to keep up.”

Another laugh, cracking at the end with pain. Zack laid his palm on Sephiroth’s forehead, feeling Sephiroth deliberately relax every muscle. _Good job, boss. We’ll take it from here._

_{sleep.}_


End file.
